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"Motel" Skirts the Line Between Storytelling and Exploitation

TV critic David Bianculli reviews Christian Blackwood's new documentary for the POV program on PBS. Bianculli says its unusual cast of characters makes him reconsider his nostalgia for overnight stays during family road trips.

03:31
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Other segments from the episode on August 28, 1990

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 28, 1990: Interview with Vilmos Zsigmond; Interview with Don Was; Review of the television documentary "Motel."
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24:14

Cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond

While the Chinatown sequel The Two Jakes hasn't found much success, many agree that it's beautifully shot thanks to the work of Vilmos Zsigmond. He won an Academy Award for Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which was celebrated for balancing special effects with conventional, domestic scenes. Zsigmond fled Hungary in 1956 during the revolution.

Interview
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17:52

Musician and Record Producer Don Was

Was is half of the rock group Was (Not Was). They have a new album called Are You Okay?. Was, who is white, has also become an in-demand producer who is heavily influenced by black music. He helped make Bonnie Raitt's comeback album, Nick of Time.

Interview

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11:00

Documentary Filmmaker Christian Blackwood

Blackwood was hired by a movie studio with no experience. That stroke of luck eventually led him to a career as a movie director. His newest documentary, inspired by his travels, is called Motel. Blackwood says his work is less concerned with narrative, and more on the emotions of the people he follows.

Interview

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